Engine with resilient piston

ABSTRACT

An engine is provided in which a power-driven impactor is arranged to strike a resilient piston-like member, which is operatively connected to the crankshaft, so as to initiate each stroke of the piston-like member toward the crankshaft and thereby drive the crankshaft. Preferably the impactor is driven by a compressed gas such as air or oxygen so as to eliminate noxious emissions.

United States Patent [1 1 Howard 1 Nov. 5, 1974 ENGINE WITH RESILIENT PISTON [76] Inventor: Larry J. Howard, 5367 Gilson, St.

Louis, Mo. 63116 [22] Filed: May 15, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 360,413

[52] U.S. C1 91/325, 91/353, 92/84 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6j 1/10, F011 31/00, F011 21/02 [58] Field of Search 92/84; 91/353, 325; 173/133 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 322,334 7/1885 Westinghouse 91/353 648,997 5/1900 Rhodes 91/353 691,078 l/l902 Schiller 92/84 915,893 3/1909 Scott 92/84 1,584,937 5/1926 Hermon 91/353 1,740,818 12/1929 Killingsworthu 92/84 2,764,134 8/1956 Crimi 92/84 Primary ExaminerPaul E. Maslousky Attorney, Agent, or Firm--F. Travers Burgess [5 7 ABSTRACT An engine is provided in which a power-driven impactor is arranged to strike a resilient piston-like member, which is operatively connected to the crankshaft, so as to initiate each stroke of the piston-like member to ward the crankshaft and thereby drive the crankshaft. Preferably the impactor is driven by a compressed gas such as air or oxygen so as to eliminate noxious emissions.

6 Claims, 1 Drawing, Figure ENGINE WITH RESILIENT PISTON BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to engines and consists particularly in a fluid powered reciprocating engine.

2. The Prior Art The prior art discloses numerous engines of the type in which compressed air is introduced into and exhausted from a cylinder to drive a piston therein through direct engagement with the piston head. Such engines usually require complex valving for admitting air to alternate sides of the piston and exhausting the spent air from the cylinder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a clean, quiet, pneumatically powered engine, in which driving force is imparted to piston-like members by a power-driven impactor arranged to strike the resilient crown of the piston.

Additional features of the invention include the provision of simplified valve means for the pneumatically driven impactor and an improved piston construction having a resilient head or crown portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is a transverse vertical sectional view of an engine constructed in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The engine comprises a hollow base 1 having a peripheral outwardly extending flange 3 along its upper margin, and a housing, or block 5 having a similar flange 7 along its lower margin, for attachment by bolts 9 to base flange 3. The lower portion of block 5 is hollow as at 10 and cooperates with base 1 to form a crankcase.

A crankshaft 11 is rotatably journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) in end walls 13 and 15 of base 1 and block 5 and mounts a crank 17 formed with a counterweight l9.

Upwardly from the hollow lower interior 10 of block 5, the block is vertically apertured to form a vertical cylindrical guide means 21 in which is vertically slidably mounted a piston 23. A connecting rod 25 is pivotally connected at its upper and lower ends respectively by pins 27 and 29 to piston 23 and crank 17 so that downward (power) strokes of piston 23 will be transmitted to crankshaft 11 by connecting rod 25 and crank 17, the completion of each revolution of the crankshaft, and with it the upward stroke of the piston being accomplished by inertia.

For imparting force to piston 23, the crown 31 of piston 23 is resilient, preferably being formed in generally hemispherical shape of elastomeric material, and an impactor 33 is positioned in block 5 above the piston for powered axial movement toward piston crown 31 when the latter reaches its uppermost position so as to strike the latter, and thereby initiate downward movement of the piston, aided by the instant expansion of piston crown 31 after its initial compression by impactor 33.

Preferably impactor 33 comprises a cylindrical metal block mounted on a rod 35 of a piston element 37, which is vertically slidably received in cylindrical chamber 39 in the upper portion of block 5 in axial alignment with cylindrical aperture 21.

A coil spring 41 surrounding impactor rod 35 and positioned between the lower end of chamber 39 and the bottom of impactor piston element 37 biases the im pactor upwardly and thereby returns it to its inoperative position after each of its power strokes.

The upper end of impactor cylindrical chamber 39 is connected by conduits comprising passage 43 and conduit 45 to a normally closed valve 47 in the crankcase and the latter is connected by conduit 48, 50 to a source of compressed gaseous fluid such as air. A manually actuated throttle valve 52 in conduit 50 provides manual control for starting and stopping the engine as well as for engine speed.

For operating valve 47, so as to introduce compressed air into impactor cylindrical chamber 30 at the proper time during the engine cycle, crankshaft ll mounts a cam 49 having a lobe 51 engageable with a pivoted follower 53 on valve 47. Upon engagement by lobe 51, follower 53 engages valve stem 55 to move valve closure member 56 compressing spring 58 to open valve 47 and thereby permits compressed air to pass from its source through conduits 50, 48, 45. Upon disengagement by lobe 51, follower 53 permits valve stem 55 to return to move outwardly thereby moving closure member 56 to the left to seated position, thus closing valve 47 and shutting off the supply of com pressed air to impactor cylindrical chamber 39.

While valve 47 is open, as described above, compressed air in cylindrical chamber 39 forces impactor piston 37 downwardly in opposition to spring 41, causing impactor 33 to strike resilient piston crown 31 and initiate the downward power stroke of the latter.

For permitting exhaust of the spent air from cylindrical chamber 39 upon completion of the power stroke of impactor piston 37, an exhaust conduit or passage 57 is formed in block 5, intersecting cylindrical chamber 39 abreast of the lower end portion of impactor piston 37 when the impactor is in the retracted position, the length of piston 37 being such that when the impactor is fully depressed by air in cylindrical chamber 39, the upper end of piston 37 will uncover passage 57, allowing the air enclosed in cylindrical chamber 39 to escape through exhaust passage 57 and thus permitting spring 41 to return piston 37, rod 35 and impactor 33 to their retracted position.

To prevent air from being trapped in the cavity above piston 23 and thus interfere with upward movement of the piston, a vent passage 58 is provided between the upper end of the cavity and the exterior of the housing. The crankcase is provided with the customary filler the breather tube 59.

Lobe 51 on cam 49 may be advanced with respect to crank 17 so that as soon as piston 23 reaches the upper end of each stroke, impactor 33 will be caused to strike it.

Operation of the engine is as follows. Throttle valve 52 is opened to permit compressed air to pass from its source into conduits 50 and 48, and if valve 47 is not open, crankshaft 11 is turned manually by the operator until cam lobe 51 engages follower 53 to open valve 47, which permits compressed air to pass from conduit 50 into conduit 45 and therefrom through passage 43 into impactor chamber 39. The air pressure in chamber 39 forces impactor piston 37 downwardly, compressing spring 41 and causing impactor 33 to strike resilient crown 31 of piston 23 and forcing the latter downwardly to initiate a revolution of crankshaft 11, the revolution being completed by inertia of counterweight 19. As the latter continues to rotate, and cam lobe 51 passes follower 53, valve 47 returns to its normal closed position, shutting off further admission of air to chamber 39, and when impactor piston 37 reaches the bottom of its stroke, it uncovers exhaust passage 57, permitting air compressed within chamber 39 to escape through exhaust passage 57. With pressure in chamber 39 thus reduced, impactor return spring 41 forces pis' ton 37 upwardly, thereby retracting impactor 33. This sequence is followed during each revolution of the engine and provides a clean, quiet source of power. Speed of the engine may be varied by varying the opening of throttle valve 52, and the engine may be shut off by closing throttle valve 52.

The details of the engine may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

I claim:

1. An engine comprising guide means, a crankshaft extending transversely of said guide means, a piston mounted for movement lengthwise of said guide means, a rod connecting said piston and said crankshaft, and an impactor having a portion intermittently engageable with an end portion of said piston for initiating axial movement of the latter by engagement therewith, one of said portions being a resilient mass of elastomeric material substantially unconfined transversely of the piston axis whereby movement of said piston as a result of engagement of said impactor and piston is aided by the compression and consequent expansion of the resilient portion in a direction axial of said piston, and means for imparting oscillatory movement to said impactor in a direction axial of said guide means.

2. An engine according to claim 1 including a cylindrical chamber extending axially of said guide means, a piston slidably mounted in said chamber, said impactor being operatively connected to said piston, and means for introducing fluid under pressure to said cylinder during each revolution of said crankshaft for forcing said impactor toward and into engagement with said piston and thereby initiating a power stroke of said piston.

3. An engine according to claim 2 including resilient means for retracting said impactor after each engagement with said piston.

4. An engine according to claim 3 wherein said fluid pressure introducing means comprises conduit means communicating with said chamber, a normally closed valve in said conduit means, and cam means on said crankshaft for opening said valve at a predetermined point in each revolution of said crankshaft.

5. An engine according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric mass is of generally hemispherical shape.

6. An engine according to claim 5 wherein said resilient portion is part of said piston, the remainder of said piston being of rigid material. 

1. An engine comprising guide means, a crankshaft extending transversely of said guide means, a piston mounted for movement lengthwise of said guide means, a rod connecting said piston and said crankshaft, and an impactor having a portion intermittently engageable with an end portion of said piston for initiating axial movement of the latter by engagement therewith, one of said portions being a resilient mass of elastomeric material substantially unconfined transversely of the piston axis whereby movement of said piston as a result of engagement of said impactor and piston is aided by the compression and consequent expansion of the resilient portion in a direction axial of said piston, and means for imparting oscillatory movement to said impactor in a direction axial of said guide means.
 2. An engine according to claim 1 including a cylindrical chamber extending axially of said guide means, a piston slidably mounted in said chamber, said impactor being operatively connected to said piston, and means for introducing fluid under pressure to said cylinder during each revolution of said crankshaft for forcing said impactor toward and into engagement with said piston and thereby initiating a power stroke of said piston.
 3. An engine according to claim 2 including resilient means for retracting said impactor after each engagement with said piston.
 4. An engine according to claim 3 wherein said fluid pressure introducing means comprises conduit means communicating with said chamber, a normally closed valve in said conduit means, and cam means on said crankshaft for opening said valve at a predetermined point in each revolution of said crankshaft.
 5. An engine according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric mass is of generally hemispherical shape.
 6. An engine according to claim 5 wherein said resilient portion is part of said piston, the remainder of said piston being of rigid material. 